Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy has dismissed a defamation lawsuit against lawyer Bryan Freedman, who represents UTA in a dispute over Michael Kassan’s departure from the agency. The lawsuit, filed by Kassan, accused Freedman of defaming him by calling him a “pathological liar.”
Judge Murphy ruled that Freedman’s comment was an opinion and not a statement of fact, therefore not constituting defamation. Sanford Michelman, Kassan’s lawyer, criticized Freedman’s defense, stating that it only proved their point that Freedman is not truthful.
The legal battle between Kassan and UTA began in March when Kassan claimed he was lied to about his role at the agency, leading to his resignation. UTA countered by alleging Kassan misused funds, leading to his termination. Kassan then initiated arbitration against UTA, accusing them of fraudulently inducing him to agree to a sale of MediaLink.
The court’s decision highlighted the context of the statements made by Freedman, noting that they were part of a highly publicized dispute between Kassan and UTA. The judge emphasized that in such adversarial settings, statements are often exaggerated and not taken as fact by the average reader.
Freedman did not comment on the ruling, and UTA declined to provide a statement. Kassan, on the other hand, successfully moved a lawsuit from UTA to arbitration, allowing him to pursue his new venture after leaving the agency. He is expected to attend Cannes Lions next month.